Coloring book provokes discussion on gender equality in education
6th Grade Class, La Florida
Today marks the last day of the coloring book project designed to spark conversation about gender equality in education. The coloring book, designed by Anne Rodgers, tells a story that reverses some of the stereotypes (i.e. a girl who loves Math) and encourages children to see the benefits of going to school
300 coloring books were distributed to 4 different schools and 2 kindergartens, spanning grades K-6. Discussion questions varied depending on the grade, pushing students to talk about their own experiences in how boys and girls differ in the ways they use their education and why. The most common reason that girls drop out of school was due to taking care of their families, lack of financial resources and teen pregnancy.
El Sauce, 3rd grader
We also asked students about their future goals and connecting them to what they are learning in their classes now that will help them toward those goals. Examples were discussed like the importance of Math in being a shop keeper, or the importance of science in developing coffee. Plans to create a more interactive and in-depth coloring book are already underway for next year.
